July 1985

EDITOR AT LARGE

Who doesn't love a good hardware store? I certainly do, especially this time of year. What makes a hardware store so attractive in the middle of summer, you might ask? Well, the store usually is air-conditioned, for one thing. On a Saturday afternoon, when I've been working around the yard or in my un-air-conditioned shop all day, it's a real relief to escape to the cool aisles of my local hardware store for some gewgaw or gimcrack.

INSTANT DECORATING!

STUDY AT HOME

THE LESS-IS-MORE PAPER TOWEL

DO-IT-YOURSELF UP

A HELPING PAW FOR THE ASKING

BRAND NAMES AND BRIGHT PACKAGES

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COOKS

LESS SPRAY, FEWER PESTS

PLUMBING HOTLINE

EXERCISE/DIET CONNECTION

7 PRIZEWINNING HOUSES New Trends, New Styles, New Ideas

Simply spectacular, these seven prize winning houses are setting the standard for new homes across the country. Winners in a nationwide contest for home builders sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders, Professional Builder magazine, and Better Homes and Gardens, these houses showcase the best in new housing today.

ADOPT A HORSE

Pet Sitters

When you leave town and your pet stays home, you have two choices: putting your pet in a kennel or asking a friend or relative to watch it. Wrong! Now there's a new option: pet sitters, professionals who care for your pet in your home.

PROBLEM-SOLVING STORAGE PROJECT Build Bins For Kids' Stuff

A clever idea can go a long way toward making your home more livable. Consider this ingenious storage project, for example: it simultaneously helps you put wasted space to good use, organize clutter, and decorate an otherwise plain area of your home.

Fresh Fix-Ups For Summer Furniture

TIPS, TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

You enjoy repairing such small appliances as irons and toasters, but sometimes you lose parts or get them mixed up before you are ready to start putting the appliance back together.

STEP LIGHTLY

CONVERTIBLE TABLE

GLASS CUTTING

CONCRETE REPAIR

PROTECTIVE MASK

HANG IT UP

Stowaway Countertop

Cutting Cord Clutter

With the wonders of our electronic age come unsightly cords that pile up behind home computers, VCRs, and stereo systems. Besides being an eyesore and cleaning nuisance, a thick tangle of cords makes it difficult to troubleshoot equipment failures.

ORIENTAL-STYLE BENCH SAFE SPOT FOR PLANTS

SLEEK GARDEN BENCH SUPER FOR SUNNING

INSTANT DECORATING

Even if you can't thread a needle or handle a screwdriver, you can whip together your own window treatments, create custom furnishings, and give your home one-of-a-kind style. And you can do it now. Our instant-results projects make decorating fast-- and fun!

DRESS UP YOUR YARD

Inexpensive and versatile, lattice panels go to new heights-- and lengths-- dressing up landscapes. You can use single panels to make a quick and easy trellis, privacy screen, or yard divider. For bigger jobs like fences, arbors, and shade structures, link the panels. Any one of the four nifty lattice projects featured here will look great in your yard, too.

Create A Fantasy Room of Animal Friends

Fresh from our painted and quilted animal comforter (right) for you to craft are such kid-pleasing designs as a wood-applique rooster, a Cheshire-cat lamp, a floppy-eared bunny table, a moose hat rack, and a hooked cow rug.

MAKE YOUR BATH STORE MORE

Bathroom clutter multiplies behind your back, but it's easy to corral. Just build yourself some simple storage units that make a lazy wall work harder. For a coordinated look, create a matched set like the vanity and wall cabinet in this bath, then tie the whole scheme together with open shelving, decorative trim, and a big mirror.

REVAMP YOUR KITCHEN

You don't have to withdraw your life savings to get the new kitchen you've always wanted; cash in on your own creativity instead. Chances are, your kitchen is just dog-eared, not done for, and a clever surface redo will bring it back to life.

GEAR UP FOR SUMMER MEALS

Just look at all the fun new accessories for outdoor get-togethers! Not only do they dress up any occasion, but they save time and trouble by making party serving and cleanup easy.

Help Your House Beat the Heat

Keep your family cool and put a lid on cooling expenses at the same time. Knowing how to reduce your home's heat buildup on hot summer days can make all the difference. Here are some ideas to start you thinking about how to launch your own red-hot attack on heat.

Discovering The Delights Of Train Travel

Controversy is brewing on Capitol Hill regarding federal funding for Amtrak. Budget cuts could make this the last summer your family can vacation by rail. But Amtrak trains will be operating as usual at least through September, 1985.

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by mail. Order from the convenience of your own home with complete confidence. If not delighted, each company will happily refund your money.

THE MAN NEXT DOOR

"You can fool all of the people some of the time," according to Editor Earl Reeves, "and when you do, it usually lasts four years."